1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of mechanics. More particularly, the invention relates to mechanical training devices. More specifically, the invention relates to a mechanical safe-arm training simulator for realistic training in the assembly and operation of a rocket-powered missile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various devices have been utilized in the past to prevent an explosive charge of a bomb or rocket motor of a missile from incurring an early or undesired detonation or firing. In particular, safety mechanisms inhibiting a bomb or missile from self-arming have been devised to prevent early detonation or firing when the bomb or missile is in storage, in transit, on the flight deck, or when in close proximity to the aircraft from which the bomb or missile is being deployed.
Such devices have included a simple wire lanyard passing through the arming fuze that must first be pulled free before fuze arming can take place. Other devices included a fuze lock and removable key concept, such that a key had to be inserted into the fuze, the fuze locked into arming position from a safety position with the key, and the key then subsequently removed to indicate that the fuze was armed. Experience, however, has proven that such mechanical lock and removable key devices did not have the reliability desired in arming a missile rocket motor; i.e. on occasion when the key was turned to the arm position, the safety mechanism sometimes switched back to safe from arm when the key was removed thereby creating a dud missile.
Consequently, a new generation lock and key device was developed specifically to prevent pre-ignition of the missile rocket motor, yet also increasing the reliability of the function of a safe-arm mechanism. This newly designed device included a non-removable key with a direct shaft length to the missile rocket motor fuze to increase reliability in arming the missile motor fuze.
A need has subsequently arisen to safely and economically train personnel in the handling and operation of this new safe-arm device for missile rocket motor fuzes. Since a missile containing either a live warhead or live rocket motor is not only highly dangerous to inexperienced personnel handling the missile, but also needlessly expensive in that a live missile contains a myriad of parts and components that are unnecessary for training with respect to the safe-arm device, there exists a continuing need to provide a simulated safe-arm device that can be adapted to a dummy missile containing none of the necessary equipment of a live missile. Such a safe-arm training device must, however, resemble in physical appearance and in tactile (torsional) feedback the actual safe-arm device used on live missiles.
The safe-arm training simulator described in the present application is such a device. It is designed to fit within the contours and apparatus presently used in a missile motor training environment. It further gives a realistic feel to an operator in arming the fuze of a missile rocket motor, and automatically returns and maintains the fuze in a safe configuration unless locked into an arm position in like manner that a live device would be operated.